Mon. Sep 24, 2007 | 1:13 PM

Divorce Panel

You're in a great relationship. He just might be "the one." So how can you be sure he's marriage material?

Psychotherapist Dr. Garry Corgiat says you should approach your relationship like a business. It might not be the most romantic idea, but treating your mate like a business partner just might work. Here are some ideas to think about before taking the marriage plunge.

1. Is this the kind of person you would want to open a business with? Could you run a company together? If not, he's probably not the right guy.
2. Does he communicate?
3. Is he a team player?
4. Does he have a good work ethic?
5. Can he handle finances?

Think About Money

The intimacy might be great, but you're not going to think about what happens between the sheets if you find out you're in financial trouble. Money coach Lynnette Khalfani says the number one thing people need to do is check their partner's FICO score. That three digit number tells you just how how financially healthy your partner is (or isn't) and you can decide how to move forward from there.

Make A Decision to Love

Father Ken Deasy says you have to commit to love. If you decide to love, you'll always have to work on compassion.


NEXT: What It Was Really Like Getting Fired
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OK, I failed that test miserably! I dont know how serious I take the test but in Tyra's defense she is just presenting an idea, option. It was a fun show on a serious subject. So many people now a days take marriage lightly and don't consider the practical yet most important parts and Tyra brought it to the front burner. Not enough people take those 3 simple yet VERY IMPORTANT things seriously, that now a days have so much to do with the statistics of divorce. Financial, religious affiliations, and basic communication between partners. I may not necessarily agree with the quiz or wat not but I agree and am aware of the subjects and overall purpose behind todays show! Keep doing your thing Tyra! We love you much ..xxoxo
Posted by Mari 09/25/07 4:23 PM
 
i just wanted to say that i am a faithful veiwer of your show. But i do think that the quiz that you gave on your website isn't accurrate. my husband and i got married when i was eighteen and he was twenty-three. and i wanted to say that the only question that i got right was if i had a religious affiliation but that shouldn't mean just because you don't make fifty thousand dollars a year, that you parents are divorced,and if you married after the age of twenty-five, that your marriage is doomed for divorce. i think if two people are really in love they will put there own needs to the side then thats when the marriage works out. my husband and i also talked about everything and we don't keep any secrets about each other and more importantly in-laws because at the begining of our marriage both sets of parents were in our buisness and we both were at each other throats but after we told our parents that they are our secondary family and that the two of us and our families happiness is the first priority they backed off.
Posted by Miriah 09/25/07 4:23 PM
 
Hello I scored a 2 guess i doomed if you're doomed for divorce how long before you get divorced i met my husband in may of 75 got married in Apr 75 i was 21 and he was 25 still happy 32 yrs
Posted by Dorothea 09/25/07 4:22 PM
 
Hi! The show was phenomonal! The show today REALLY touched my heart. My husband and I have been married for a year now and WOW! He is military and is gone right now and being without him has brought so many problems these past weeks. Between money,finances,family, and ex girlfriends. I'm only 22 and I feel like everything wants to bring me down and watch me suffer. Not only do I deal with marriage I deal with my self confidence as a strong black woman, wife, student and compromiser. I have realized in the past couple days living 3000 miles away from home has made me realize that I can only make me truly HAPPY. Im searching and finding the inner peace within me to make my marriage work and life work. I just feel truly BLESSED to know and admire someone like you who actually knows what Im going through and who is not afraid to voice it. Thank you Tyra and FOREVER BE Blessed! Alichia
Posted by Alichia 09/25/07 4:14 PM
 
Those may be the facts, but what really makes a difference is making sure you know your partner before you get married, know before you end up in a divorce. Certain things need to be discussed before marriage, such as how to deal with money, kids, and possible what if's. Then you can be prepared.
Posted by Laurel 09/25/07 4:03 PM
 
I think this quiz was terrible and so was the article about what makes a guy marriage material. People can mess up their credit scores, its called making mistakes. Neither me nor my fiancee have good scores or are good withmoney. I go to college and he doesnt, yet he still makes enough money to support us. We love each other alot, plus we communicate, we have honesty, and we know the value of a dollar. For the record, I scored 2, Im 20 and we are getting married in the fall of next year.
Posted by laurel 09/25/07 3:39 PM
 
hey tyra i love your show and i have been with my fiance for 3 years and we have a little boy he is 2 years old and i believe that a relationship can work as long as both partners want i. I was 15 when i started dating my fiance
Posted by lili solorzano 09/25/07 3:39 PM
 
Tyra, I loved your show today. I believe people rush into marriage and don't believe that divorce has negative consequences.The divorce rate continues to soar, and children are being affected.I hope this will be a real eye opener for young couples. Thank You for your wonderful advice!!!God Bless
Posted by Tarina 09/25/07 3:38 PM
 
Tyra, I think shows like this are making Divorce rates worse. I mean I have a Wonderful Marriage. I mean wonderful. I can be me and it is great. But on the "Quiz" I scored a 3 the question I got was because we got married young. My parents are not together. That makes me a better wife. I have seen a bad marriage. We don't have alot of money. That makes us spend time together doing cheap stuff like going for 2 dollar snow cones or just renting a movie. We both dropped out of college because we weren't ready for at that time in our lives. I think that the quiz was silly. I know That we will be together. I wish that a show would have couples that are doing great and enjoy each other. We see only the bad part of marriage on TV and Movies.
Posted by Alex 09/25/07 3:16 PM
 
Hey Tyra, I am recently engaged and I loved the show.... We scored a 9. We missed the question about our parents not being married.. I think our parents not being married is more motivation for us to keep loving each other and being actively apart of each others lives. Thanks for the show. You are Great!!! How about a show about the engagement period??? Love ya Maria
Posted by Maria 09/25/07 3:11 PM
 
Hey Tyra, I don't agree with the Cosmo quiz. I think that society today puts too much emphasis on money. I am a Mother, and while I have the greatest job in the world, it does not pay in money. My husband is in the Army, which is a noble job, but again does not pay much. I married my husband when I was 19, he was 21, now I am 26 and I would still say "I DO!" I think that there is more to having a successful marriage than just money and education. Communication, support, and sacrifice are all more important than money!
Posted by Bekki 09/25/07 3:10 PM
 
Tyra I love your show it is like the best
Posted by Andrea Mendez 09/25/07 3:10 PM
 
I love the show .......................................................i took the marriage test and I scored a perfect 10!!!!!! My parents are still together but i have sisters and brothers that have been married and divorced twice so this scares me in my relationships......so thats why I keep putting off my wedding!!!!!
Posted by kajun 09/25/07 3:05 PM
 
TYRA I love your show however I disagreed with that marriage test...Because me and my husband have been married for 7 1/2 years..give it we had ups and downs but we learned from both!! we have 2 children ages 7 and 5......And I would not do things over if i could.
Posted by natasha 09/25/07 2:57 PM
 
I just took my quiz and I scored a 3 on the quiz and my husband scored a 6. I really do not agree with these statistics. The reason I scored lower was because I got married when I was 24 and I do not make 50,000 a year. This doesn't make sense to me since the average salary in my home state is 30,000 a year. I think that depending on what religion you are or how devout you are to that religion should count for more points. ;0) I would never dream of getting a divorce unless there was something very serious going on that could not be worked out through communication because in my religion marriage is a sacred covenant. ;0) It is also much more customary for those in my religion to get married younger, I was actually on the older side of the spectrum for my religion ;0)
Posted by Amanda 09/25/07 2:51 PM



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